Video: Hot Air exclusive interview with Gov. Rick Perry

posted at 7:21 pm on August 29, 2014 by Ed Morrissey

Earlier this afternoon, I met with Governor Rick Perry for an exclusive interview immediately after his speech at AFP’s Defending the Dream Summit in Dallas. The speech itself was very well received by the 3000-plus attendees, who gave the governor a standing ovation as he came off the stage. As he went into the meeting room, a woman whom Perry knows congratulated him and pledged that she will work for his campaign in 2016, at which Perry embraced her and smiled. The good mood continued when we sat down to do the pre-arranged interview, which actually started just before the video does, thanks to a brief technical issue that got resolved.

The governor started off by promising to rib Florida governor Rick Scott about hosting the largest-ever AFP event, which led into a discussion of Texas economics and state competition for workers and entrepreneurs.”It’s real, and it’s uncomfortable,” Perry said, smiling, “but people who want to perform at a high level shouldn’t mind uncomfort.” Perry attributes Texas’ success to fair and predictable tax and regulatory policy, tort reform, and accountability in education.

We discussed the differing directions of Texas from New York and California, and the sometimes-undiscussed circumstances of capital flight, especially in California. I pointed out that the policies are producing a middle class drain in California, and asked Perry whether he’s seen middle-class growth in Texas. Perry noted that some stay in other states because “they are incentivized by the rich government programs,” but that growth in Texas has been broad based. “Texas had led the nation in job creation in all quartiles,” Perry said, citing the Dallas Federal Reserve and Investors Business Daily. “Over 50% of those jobs,” he added, “were in the two higher quartiles.” The prosperity of the Texas expansion has led to an explosion of cultural outlets in the state, which Perry proudly listed in detail.

Next we discussed the Obama administration and its foreign policy, in which Perry included the border crisis, but especially the situation with ISIS. When I brought up Barack Obama’s “no strategy” comment and said that it’s not something one would expect an American president to announce at a press conference, Perry interjected, “Or admit.” This “is a disengaged administration, Perry said. “This is a president who seems to be disengaged from what’s going on in the world. When you stand up in front of the international — the global press,” he continued,” and talk about a photojournalist who’s been beheaded by an absolutely brutal terrorist organization like ISIS, and thirty minutes later be on the golf course — you’re disengaged with what’s going on in the world.” Perry related a story from his meeting last October with Israeli officials, one of whom wondered why an American president wasn’t focused on American interests.

Finally, we discussed the indictment brought against Perry by the Travis County district attorney, and I asked him how a court could take it seriously. “Here’s what I know,” Perry replied, “we take it seriously.” He noted the extensive motion filed by his attorneys to dismiss the case with prejudice, which should be heard soon. “I followed the rule of law” in issuing the veto, one of hundreds in his tenure as governor, “and if I had to do it again, I would do it again.” The indictment threatens the separation and balance of powers within government, and even more concerning, attempts to criminalize normal political debate. “Fascinating? Yes, I guess you could call it that,” he said in response to one of my earlier questions, “but criminalizing politics is not good for America.”

Later, I will post a higher-quality rendition of this interview, but the size of that file is keeping it from uploading properly over the shared Internet connection, which is actually rather good at this conference.

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According to the Kentucky Herald-Leader, Benton met with McConnell on Friday afternoon and gave the top Senate Republican his letter of resignation, which McConnell accepted.

Benton’s resignation is effective Saturday.

The major staff change comes amidst a bribery scandal from when he was the political director for Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) during the 2012 presidential campaign that could spill over into McConnell’s re-election fight. Benton has stressed that he is innocent and blamed “inaccurate press accounts and unsubstantiated media rumors.”

“This decision breaks my heart, but I know it is the right thing for Mitch, for Kentucky and for the country,” Benton said.

Two days earlier former Iowa state Sen. Kent Sorenson (R) pleaded guilty to taking $73,000 from Paul’s campaign and trading that for Paul’s endorsement. Sorenson also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for lying about his role in the deal. The guilty plea included a pair of sealed documents that could lead back to Benton.

Obama is engaged, just not with the security of America. He is engaged with the security of the democrat party though and that is why he wants to import millions upon millions of reliable third worlder democrat voters to underwhelm you not so reliable Texans.

“Fascinating? Yes, I guess you could call it that,” he said in response to one of my earlier questions, “but criminalizing politics is not good for America.”

Adherents to the House of Obama are fundamentally and unalterably opposed to the survival of the Constitution of the United States, and most particularly it’s Bill of Rights. The House of Obama is based on the teachings of Benito Mussolini, Joesph Stalin, Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, the Queen of Hearts and Joe Isuzu. The House of Obama commands that democrats carry out mendacity, calumny, pyromania and psychosis indefinitely against all opponents until the House of the Constitution, which is alien to The House of Obama, is not tolerated, and all surviving Americans are brought under the complete subjugation of the House of Obama, where Obamariah is strictly enforced.

Most of all, I want to hear what a man has to say about the issues at hand. Sorry, girls. Hillary won’t do in times like these no matter what the fairy tale stories say. She hasn’t got the ‘right stuff’.

I’m a woman, and I know that women can do what needs to be done. Those women are few, however. Thatcher was one of them. Like her or not, she got it right and had a backbone of steel. I don’t see any women of her measure out there.

We need a leader, and we have no hope of one for another couple of years.

Next time around lets elect a Yank... a patriot… someone with experience… and someone who cares about this country.

I’m a woman, and I know that women can do what needs to be done. Those women are few, however. Thatcher was one of them. Like her or not, she got it right and had a backbone of steel. I don’t see any women of her measure out there.

Well now that’s some good news. Some here may not understand the feeling but I’m sure you will. Lived way too long in my opinion.

Oldnuke on August 29, 2014 at 7:42 PM

You have no idea…..

I was a gopher at SUBLANT (he was at one end of the hall, I was at the other…by the stairs) when the story first broke. In my little hovel was a safe that happened to have the patrol logs of every SSBN patrol from GW’s first one to the present on microfiche. Guess what I got to do.

If Repubs were serious about getting more women to vote, Perry hiring Schmidt just blew it.
We remember his participation during and after of Mc Cain’s and Palin’s campaign.
Rove sniffing around doesn’t help either.

I’m warming up to this guy, he needs to put more distance between himself and the dream act nonsense from the prior debate. Refuting that would bring a lot of conservatives onboard.
I want to like Rick Perry.
Good interview Ed.

Like the content but why are most of these blogs videos of such crappy quality?
A real turn off in a 1080p world.

redguy on August 29, 2014 at 8:32 PM

Later, I will post a higher-quality rendition of this interview, but the size of that file is keeping it from uploading properly over the shared Internet connection, which is actually rather good at this conference.

Lol. Ed, you have no balls. How could you not have asked him about the ‘Hot Gas’ thing?

That would have totally given the guy a chance to put it behind him with the base. But you wimped out and kissed his butt instead.

I’m a journalist who supports the Right, and that would have been my first question. Ed, you have no sense of title-marketing.

Anyway, Perry seems largely dumb to me, but I’ll give him credit for having upped his game since his flop in the last Presidential election.

For me, his strongest ability right now is the thing about marketing Texas over other states on economic grounds. Let’s give the guy credit, dumb that he may be — that’s a very smart and legitimate approach. It goes beyond politics. It’s just smart. It would be smart for any governor, regardless of party. He needs to keep on that. It’s what he does best.

Ed, you should have also asked him about his relationship with Prince Shah Karim Al-Husayni. Has he ever renounced this? If he hasn’t, what authority does he have to criticize IS?

I’m certainly NOT any sort of ‘Perrynista’ by any stretch – but darned if he aint still a pretty good communicator (teleprompters not withstanding sometimes). As much as I truly do not trust Perry – sadly He’d still be a huge improvement over the current Keystone Cops cast………….how pathetic is THAT?

We have learned from serious politicians that policy is not created in political campaigns for voters’ benefit. Policy is a function of staffing — if your “conservative” candidate hires, say, a no-name liberal amnestesiac, then ignore anything your candidate says about “border security”, because the policy is going to be written by the amnesty fan.

Forget Perry’s stated positions on various conservative hot-buttons. If Steve Schmidt is crafting policy, Perry will be a RINO. No doubt about it.

Im with those that have disqualified Perry for hiring ugly human beings like Steve Schmidt. You cant put that crap back in the horse. Schmidt has made me sick over the years, with his arrogance and pure hatred for conservatives. Either Perry is clueless or has no problem with those qualities.